


Catalyst

by Blue Eyes Black Dragon (OperaGoose), OperaGoose



Series: True Love's Kiss [1]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh!
Genre: Background Relationships, Bakura Wants Revenge, Chaseshipping, Lust Potion/Spell, M/M, Mildly Dubious Consent, Post-Canon, Prequel One-Shot, Puzzleshipping, Sex Pollen, Unrequited Crush
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-14
Updated: 2015-06-14
Packaged: 2018-04-04 08:58:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,164
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4131717
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OperaGoose/pseuds/Blue%20Eyes%20Black%20Dragon, https://archiveofourown.org/users/OperaGoose/pseuds/OperaGoose
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
    Kaiba Corp seemed to leave utterly nothing untouched. It seemed to own everything - duel monsters platforms, theme parks (based on those duel monsters),
    mobile phones that outstripped all other smart phones by at least thirty percent sales (thank you 4Mart Employee Sales Statistics). There was even a
    hospital and rehabilitation centre in the countryside outside Domino City.
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
    And now, opening this very day - a getaway resort for the rich and famous.
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	Catalyst

**Author's Note:**

> I know, I know, I really should be updating Lunatic. But I re-read this recently and decided to give it a go.  
> This is the beginning of my 2014 NaNoWriMo (successful) attempt. The plot itself is unfinished but the first arc was written so I decided I might as well post it and let you guys enjoy it. The meat of the fic will be coming soon, but enjoy this intro.
> 
> (The idea was sparked from a dream after watching too much Once Upon A Time. So. There's that.)

Kaiba Corp seemed to leave utterly nothing untouched. It seemed to own everything - duel monsters platforms, theme parks (based on those duel monsters), mobile phones that outstripped all other smart phones by at least thirty percent sales (thank you 4Mart Employee Sales Statistics). There was even a hospital and rehabilitation centre in the countryside outside Domino City. 

And now, opening this very day - a getaway resort for the rich and famous. 

“Yug,” Joey said unsurely, tugging at his messy mop of blonde hair. “I’m sure Kaiba doesn’t mean for me to come.” 

“Don’t be silly, Joey,” his much shorter friend said fondly, leaning over his boyfriend-soulmate _something_ in the back seat to look at Joey in the rearview mirror. “He said we’re welcome to bring whoever we want. If he’d not wanted you to come, he would’ve been more specific about his invitation.” 

He sighed, but Yugi was right. It’d been years since ‘bring whoever you want’ meant the whole gang – so here he was driving. Tristan was asleep in the passenger seat, his long legs crammed under the glovebox. Yugi was sat behind him, because he was the smallest. Yami was in the centre seat, hands almost constantly entwined with his partner’s. Duke was on the other side, arms folded and looking very sulky. 

The ladies - that was, Serenity and Téa - were riding in Mai’s car. Duke and Tristan had both wanted to ride with Serenity. There’d even been a near argument about it. Joey was kind of glad that Mai had solved the problem by declaring the girls were going together. If he had to sit through another pissing contest over his sister’s dating status he might just have to hit both of them. 

“Turn left here,” Yami said, gesturing towards the road offside. 

He had been the one with the map, an hour ago before he’d folded it away - route apparently memorized. Joey followed his instructions, flicking the indicator level with his fingers and turning when the traffic cleared well enough to let him through. 

The houses became fewer and father in between, all behind large fences with monogrammed gates. Joey gave a sneer that was more jealousy than actual disdain. He was stuck in a rundown apartment with his deadbeat father, five years after graduating from high school. These rich folks would never have to think about money problems a day in their life. They would never have to worry about their next meal was coming from--the closest they probably got was worrying if their expensive foreign chefs would be making something they didn’t prefer that evening. 

He sighed in frustration, glad when they moved past the gated estates and into farmland and logging forests. The mountain they were aiming for could be seen on the horizon. Yami didn’t offer any more directions for the time being--their destination was quite literally right before his eyes. 

Another hour and they arrived at the large, black-metal gates emblazoned with the logo of Kaiba Corp. “We’re here,” he announced. 

Tristan snorted as he woke up, his deep sleep broken by the magic words. He yawned, stretched as best he could in the confined interior of the car. 

Joey pulled the car to a stop next to the scanner. “You got the key card, Pharaoh?” He called towards the back seat. 

There was shifting, the unzipping of a bag, Duke gave a low grunt as he was probably hit with an elbow. A minute later, however, a delicate uncallused hand came into his line of sight. He took the small white plastic rectangle, embossed with the Kaiba Corp logo and Yami’s legal name ‘Atem Senet’. Of course the pharaoh got his own all-access pass to Kaiba Corp facilities. Rivals they might be but Kaiba had respect for his adversary and former cousin. 

Joey leaned out the window, sliding the card into the slot. Once it beeped, he pulled it back out and held it generally backwards for Yami to take. The Kaiba Lodge was huge, designed in old fashioned style. It was pure grandeur. Joey swallowed bitter envy and pulled the car to a stop at the front doors. A valet even came to open their doors. 

Luggage was pulled out of the boot and whisked up stairs of pale blue marble. He hadn’t even known it existed in that colour - though knowing Kaiba if it couldn’t be purchased, he’d probably had it chemically engineered in a geology lab somewhere. Was there anything that snob didn’t have his hands in? Were geology labs even a thing? 

He handed the valet the keys after he’d made sure nothing of his was left inside. “It’s a rental,” he said to the valet’s suspicious look at his clothes. Paid for by the great pharaoh, who didn’t have his own license but still somehow managed to buy his way out of those sort of significant details in forms. 

He already felt hugely out of place. In all the grandeur, he was wearing thrift-shop jeans he’d hemmed and repaired himself a few times over the years. His shirt was white a few years ago, but was more a washed-out grey tone by now. The brown leather jacket, however, had been a birthday gift. It was worth more than he earned in a month but he hadn’t wanted to offend Yugi by rejecting the gift. 

“Come on,” he said, elbowing Tristan in the ribs. “You know how Mai drives. She’s probably been here for an hour already.” 

Sure enough, they found Mai and Téa by the huge, elaborate pool. On one side it looked like any fancy resort pool, but among the other it transitioned into naturalistic cliffs with a loud waterfall. Mokuba was up there with one of his friends, the two of them wrestling to try and push the other into the pool. 

In the three years Joey had known him, the younger Kaiba brother had several enviable growth spurts that left him somewhere between Joey’s own height and his older brother’s. 

“Joey!” Mokuba yelled eagerly, turning to wave at him. His friend took advantage of his distraction to shove him off the clifftop and send him directly into the pool water below. Joey chuckled good-naturedly at his misfortune and then went to stand at the edge of the pool. 

The youngest Kaiba surfaced a few feet away from them, and leant his arms on the edge to grin up at them. “Hey guys!” he greeted. “I was starting to wonder if you’d gotten lost.” 

“Well, with a three-thousand-year-old layabout giving directions, it’s a miracle we didn’t!” Joey teased. 

Yami raised his eyebrows challengingly, but there was a glint of humour in his eyes Joey recognised. 

Tristan however, jumped on the joke at everyone else’s silence. “Joey drives like an old lady. He barely went the speed limit the entire time.” 

“I didn’t know they allowed dogs to get driving licenses.” The deadpan voice was cool and insulting. There was no trace of humour in the voice and Joey knew, if he turned to look, the expression would be disdain carved in stone. 

“Good afternoon, Kaiba,” Yami greeted, voice notably marked with respect. “Thank you for the invitation.” 

Not able to put it off any longer, Joey clenched his fists and turned his gaze on their host. He immediately regretted doing so. 

Kaiba was hauling himself out of the pool, the muscles of his arms and those wide shoulders flexing as he hefted his whole weight. The rest of the movement was a graceful shift of sculpted muscle, one foot on the edge of the pool, bringing him to full height before the other took its place beside him. 

Joey had the childish urge to shove him right back into the water. 

“Would you like a tour of the facilities?” Kaiba asked, reaching to take a towel from a pool attendant. 

The others made a general noise of assent, but Joey shrugged. “It was a long drive. I’d like to just chill by the pool for a while.” Anything to get away from barely-dressed Kaiba and his smug attitude. 

“Okay,” Yugi said, sounding concerned. “I guess I’ll see you when we get back?” 

“I’ll be here,” he said, giving his usual lopsided smile to say ‘everything’s okay’. The group disappeared; Joey took himself over to Mai’s sun-chair and flopped down on the plastic chair next to her. 

She was wearing a tiny white bikini, her skin glistening with tanning oil. Two years ago the sight would have been utterly titillating. Now, he noticed it with a brief thought that she was probably trying to garner the attention of a rich guest and pushed it aside. “How was the drive?” She asked, smirking. 

“Fine,” he replied. “Nice country side. I suppose this is where all the rich snobs come to get out of the city.” 

She gave a good-natured laugh. “Your jealousy is showing, kid.” 

He rolled his eyes. He might sometimes declare his intentions to have a huge place like the estates one day, but right now he could only think of them as unnecessary showing off. Instead, he answered: “well. What I would give to have millions of dollars to spare on a house with more rooms than I could count.” 

“There’s two hundred and ninety seven,” Mokuba said. He flopped on the empty sun-chair on the other side of Joey. “I counted them.” 

Joey laughed. “Okay, kid. You win this round.” 

“Are you going to come in the pool?” The kid asked. Though Joey supposed he was not a kid any more. 

“I don’t have any trunks,” he replied, shrugging. 

“Why didn’t you bring them?” Mokuba pressed, confused. “You must’ve known there’d be a pool at the resort.” 

Joey didn’t want to specify, but he was the easiest way of getting Mokuba to leave it alone. “No, I mean I don’t own any,” he clarified. At Mokuba’s startled look, he just shrugged. “Not a lot of time to go to the beach these days.” Or years. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d had the opportunity to go swimming. 

“Oh,” Mokuba said, his eyebrows pulling together in a confused frown. “There’s some for sale at the poolside shop.” 

“I’m sure I didn’t bring enough cash for that,” he replied carefully. A wrinkled ten dollar note and a handful of change definitely wouldn’t be enough. 

Mokuba just smiled. “Just charge it to your room!” he suggested eagerly. “It’ll just go on the room account.” 

Joey didn’t really know how to answer that. He didn’t have a room or a room account to charge such a frivolous purchase on; and even if he did, he didn’t have a credit card to pay it off with. Before he could answer, Mokuba was goaded into a game of Chicken with his friends. 

Glad to be out of the conversation, he sat back. Within a blink though, Mai was holding out a plastic room key card and giving him a stubborn look over the top of her designer sunglasses. “Indulge the kid, Joseph. Go buy a pair of board shorts.” 

He sighed and took the card from her two fingers. “Fine,” he grumbled. “But I’ll pay you back.” 

She just smiled, and they both knew he’d try and do such a thing. She, however, would not accept the repayments. “Now go,” she commanded. “You’re scaring away all the millionaires.” 

He grumbled as he got to his feet, finding his way to the shop after a few minutes searching. He looked over the racks of swimwear, cringing at the inflated prices. Blissfully, he found a pair that was not outrageously overpriced. They were made of a geometric pattern in garish colours and didn’t look like the best quality about the seams, but they’d have to do. 

“They’re not exactly your colour, Wheeler.” 

He cringed, not turning his head to face Kaiba as he folded the trunks over his forearms. “I’m nobody’s eye-candy,” he replied. “What does it matter?” 

“Forget your trunks?” Kaiba asked, his tone mocking. “I’d send a concierge for your luggage but I notice you didn’t bring any.” 

“I wasn’t invited to stay at your stupid resort,” Joey retorted, walking towards the counter. Measured footsteps beside him let him know that he was being followed. “Why would I bring luggage when I’d just have to lug it back on the shuttle bus later?” 

Kaiba was silent for a moment. “Could have packed a pair of shorts in a backpack,” he replied. 

“I suppose I could have,” he answered flatly. “If I had any.” Any of either, for that fact. He hadn’t owned a backpack since high school. He handed over the shorts to be scanned and tapped the keycard on the counter agitatedly. 

The cashier, however, darted a look at Kaiba, who gave a flicking gesture with his fingers; she didn’t ask for the card and entered a code into the register. She took off the security tag and label, handing them back to him with a polite and insincere “enjoy your swim, sir.” 

“There are changing rooms through there, mutt,” Kaiba answered, pointing lazily down a corridor. “I’ll tell your friends where you’ve gotten to.” He snatched the card from his fingers with a scowl. “I’ll return this keycard to Miss Valentine.” 

He was sorting his way through the corridors, when he spotted a familiar head of long white hair. “Bakura!” he called, smiling. “Ryou, over here!” The British guy looked startled, but eventually smiled at him, coming over. In his hands he was carrying a fabric drawstring bag - like the kind you got with craft jewellery. “I didn’t expect to see you here,” he said. 

“It’s good to see you. Joey,” he said, smiling. 

“Is, uh...” He darted his eyes around the corridor. “Is the other Bakura around here too?” 

Ryou looked uncomfortable. “Somewhere,” he admitted. “I’m trying to find him, which means he’s probably hiding just for the game.” 

“Do you need any help looking?” Joey asked. He really didn’t want to head back to his friends if Kaiba was going to be there as well. 

“No, that’s alright,” Ryou said politely. He shifted his feet slightly. Clearly he wasn’t looking for Joey’s company. “I’m sure I’ll manage on my own.” 

Joey nodded. “Well, I’ll be at the pool for a little while if you need me,” he said. The Briton only nodded and watched him expectantly. Joey took the hint and left. 

He changed into the new swimming shorts. They were stiff and uncomfortable, practically begging to be soaked in the pool to soften. But he doubted he’d actually go in the water. He peeked at his reflection, sighing as scars along his back and occasionally visible across his chest. His father, his days in the gang, the rough streets he lived in... it was a wonder he was alive at all. 

He tugged his shirt back on and carried his jeans and jacket back to the swimming pool. Serenity was sitting with Mai, the two of them giggling among themselves about something. Duke and Tristan were wrestling in the pool, shouting nonsense and trying to drown each other, probably. Téa was sat on the pool steps, chatting to Yugi who was held securely between Yami’s knees. 

Joey stopped his search before his eyes could seek out anyone else. He sat in his previous seat, listening in to Serenity as she gossiped with Mai. 

“Joey!” Mokuba called eagerly. “Come in the water!” 

He just shook his head. “Not yet.” Not ever, if he could get away with it. Mokuba looked a little disappointed, but it disappeared when he was dunked face-first into the water. He sat back in the chair, watching his friends silently. 

“Joey those trunks are awful!” Serenity insisted. “You should never be allowed to go shopping on your own.” 

“You can blame Mai,” he said. He forced a goofy grin on his face. “She’s the one who insisted I go; and forgot to send anyone with me.” Outwardly he was the dorky older brother who couldn’t be trusted to co-ordinate himself. Inwardly, he was cooling his insult. It was fine for Serenity, who got shopping trips with her friends and sales-days with their mother. Joey had the local charity-owned thrift store and whatever pay he could spare after food and rent and bills. 

His eyes settled on Kaiba against his determination. The icy CEO looked anything but what he was. At that exact moment, he was heaving Mokuba up in his arms. Joey bit his lip severely, distracting himself as Kaiba tossed his younger brother over his shoulder with a laugh. 

“You are not subtle in the slightest.” 

Joey turned to give Mai a glare. Serenity, however, was not paying attention. She was watching Duke and Tristan’s battle with a concerned eye. 

“Joey!” Mokuba yelled. “We need another team for all-in water brawl chicken!” 

“Duke and Tristan will play with you,” he replied, affecting a lazy whine. “They’re already in the water.” 

“We’re already playing,” Tristan yelled back at him. 

“It’s an all-in brawl, big brother,” Serenity insisted. “All of the guys are playing.” He darted a pointed look towards Yugi and Yami, who were still relaxed against the pool steps. “Well, everyone taller than five feet,” she added with a gentle giggle. 

Yami turned red eyes in her direction, an eyebrow raising coldly. He was a few inches taller than that, clearly resented the implication. She just gave him her warm, innocent smile. An indulgent smile tugged at his own lips, and he turned his face back to Yugi. 

Mai got to her feet, slipping them into braided leather sandals. She gentle tugged a somewhat-transparent linen dress over the top of her bikini. “Come on, Serenity,” she encouraged. “We’ll leave the boys to their rough-housing. Let’s head to the restaurant.” 

Because of course Kaiba’s resort wouldn’t have something as common as a buffet for its guests. Serenity stood, putting a flowery dress over the top of her more modest two-piece. She waved to them all and followed Mai off to the restaurant. 

“Come on Joey!” Mokuba called, his voice frustrated. “Join the game.” 

He just shook his head with a laugh. He had no intentions of taking off his shirt and, since he didn’t have anything to change in to, he was certainly not going in with it on. His eyes darted over to Kaiba as he heaved himself out of the water, then quickly away. Rich bastard probably had a business call to take care of. 

He coughed slightly, confused. There was a fine white smoke in the air--someone was probably barbecuing something around the bend of the pool. 

It was distraction enough. He felt arms hooking under his shoulders, hoisting him forcibly to his feet. He shouted in protest, whipping his head around to see Kaiba grabbing at him. He grunted angrily, trying to knock away the arms. It wasn’t surprising Kaiba could grab him, considering his display with Mokuba not ten minutes ago, but it was infuriating. 

“Get the hell off me!” 

Kaiba ignored him, shifting his grip so Joey was more securely in his hold. He started his heavy trek towards the pool. 

“I said get off!” Joey shouted, and punched out at Kaiba’s chest with an angrily balled fist. 

He’d expected an angry yell and a rapid dropping on his ass. Instead he got a forced exhale of breath and arms tight around his torso as Kaiba’s knees buckled. They tipped forwards and Joey cried out before his face was submerged in water. He struggled to get to the surface, kicking and elbowing at whatever got in his way. 

He breached the surface and breathed in deeply, only to receive a lungful of the white smoke. He coughed a bit and shook his head. Something was nagging at him, but before the thought could be realised it was shoved aside. 

Kaiba had risen up from the water and god damn did he look delicious. He met Joey’s eyes and his tongue swiped out to wet his lips. Joey briefly wondered why - he’d just been dunked underwater, wasn’t that damp enough for him? A hand around his neck, Kaiba’s. He expected to be shoved face-first into the water, but instead he was yanked roughly forward and held in place as the CEO pressed a forceful kiss against his lips. 

He made a surprised noise, hands reaching up to grab the wide shoulders. He had definitely intended to shove him away, but instead he was pressing himself closer. He could feel Kaiba’s enthusiasm for the situation against his hip. With a groan, he shifted one leg to wrap around his waist and drew Kaiba even closer. 

The kiss broke and Joey tilted his head as that mouth moved further down his neck to bite and kiss and suck. “Seto,” he groaned. 

“Mm,” was the only reply he got. Joey melted, the water taking most of his weight, as Kaiba began to suck a love bite at the junction of his neck. 

The rest of his thoughts dissolved into a burning haze. When it cleared, Kaiba was pulling out and away. A moment of clear thought shot through Joey’s head. He was lying back on the edge of the pool, one knee slung over Kaiba’s shoulders. Turning his head, he could see his friends in various states of nakedness, in varying states of fucking. 

He frowned at that, but he lost his focus as Kaiba loomed over him again, yanking his hair and drawing him up into a biting kiss. He groaned, hands gripping tightly at Kaiba’s biceps. There were blooming pink scratch marks across Kaiba’s arms and shoulders. Probably down his back if Joey could get the right angle to look. 

His thoughts burnt out again, and when it cleared he was lifting himself off Kaiba as he looked down at the blissful face. Something was nagging at his thoughts, but he held them aside as he leaned down to kiss bruised red lips. He froze mid-movement, however, as another head moved in to take his place. Shock coursed through his system like icy water. 

He stumbled to his feet, watching the bobbed brown hair block Kaiba’s expression from his view. It wasn’t long before slender thighs and feminine hips were taking his position. He felt a little sick. He looked around the pool and swallowed down sour saliva. What was going on? 

The air was still hazy with barbecue smoke. Except... it didn’t smell like food at all. It smelled like some kind of flower and herbs. The kind of stuff Ryou mixed up for herbal teas in his spare time. He hurried over to his clothes. He had no idea where the new swimming shorts and his t-shirt had gotten to, but he yanked on his jeans and with unnecessary roughness. He winced a little at the tenderness, then looked around. There was a pale white shirt discarded near the sun chair that looked as if it would fit well enough. It was probably Tristan’s. 

He tugged the leather jacket back on over the shirt, feeling the pockets for his wallet. He headed towards the doors into the resort, passing through the air curtain of the air conditioning. It was blissfully cold on his flushed skin, but it did little to soothe his fury. He couldn’t believe he’d let himself be used like that. 

It wasn’t as if he’d never done any fucking before, but it had been a while because he’d figured he wasn’t at all interested in casual sex. He listened sympathetically to Tristan’s whines about needing to get off with a chick, any chick, but understood he didn’t feel the same. He wanted something like Yugi and Yami, cute and romantic. Although, he thought to himself as the image burned into his eyes resurfaced, they weren’t without their desperate lusts were they? 

He blushed furiously. He was in the lobby and he headed out of the doors. He didn’t bother to wait for the doorman to pull them open for him. He just wanted to get away. He headed across the driveway to the road, leaning on the pole with one arms as he frowned at the shuttle bus schedule. It was complimentary, but he noticed with a frown that it only took the guests to the small village nearby. 

He huffed in irritation. He could always catch a bus there back to Domino City, but that was going to use up all of his money if he could even afford that. He bit at his lip rather viciously. It felt bruised and oversensitive. He hissed slightly and loosed the lip from between his teeth. 

He knew exactly why they were tender, even if the memories were too hazy to be properly recalled. 

Yanking his thoughts away, he looked down the sign. He’d just missed the shuttle, the next one would be around in another hour. He huffed in irritation and sat down on the waiting bench. He could take Yami’s car, of course, but then he’d have to go through the awkwardness of returning it. He couldn’t leave it by his apartment, it’d be stolen in ten minutes. 

There was always the Kame Game shop, of course. Grandpa would happily keep an eye on it. But then Joey would have to explain why he took it when he’d agreed to leave it with Tristan. That he would never bring up with Solomon Mutou, no matter how desperate the situation was. 

He sighed tiredly. Maybe he could convince Mai to pay for a taxi. Getting to his feet, he headed back to the lobby, ignoring the twist of nerves in his stomach. The concierge at the desk gave him directions to the restaurant, looking a little distastefully at his jeans. 

Mai and Serenity were sitting in a booth with luxuriously cushioned seats. They smiled and waved him over, letting him sit and pick at their entrée bites. He couldn’t eat many, his stomach twisting with sickness. Serenity looked at him in concern, but thankfully didn’t ask him what the matter was. 

“Are you wearing Kaiba’s shirt?” Mai asked, tilting her head at him curiously. 

Joey felt his face burn with shame. “Well, he tossed me in the pool,” he said. Technically that was true. “The least he owes me is the use of his shirt.” That... was also true. Two half-truths would give him a nice, believable lie. 

“You really should have just gone in the pool,” Serenity said, giggling. 

“If Joey doesn’t want to swim, that’s his choice.” Joey met Mai’s eyes gratefully. She was one of the very few who had seem him without a shirt. It was just one more thing between them that they had silently agreed never to talk about. “Where is everyone?” 

He was grateful for the change of subject, if not the reminder. “They seemed occupied,” he replied, the flash of naked and writhing bodies on the smooth stone tiles crossing his memory. “I thought it best to leave them to it.” 

“Is that Bakura?” Serenity asked, squinting through the front doors as they opened. 

“I saw Ryou hanging around before I went to the pool,” Joey answered, shrugging. “It might be.” 

“Those two do spend a lot of the time together,” she continued. 

Joey realised what she meant a moment later. She was talking about the former spirit of the ring. He was on his feet before he really realised what he was doing. “I’m going to go say hi,” he declared at their confused expressions. 

“Well, if Ryou’s with him, invite them to join us,” Mai suggested. 

Joey nodded to indicate he would, then headed out of the restaurant. He saw a flash of white hair disappear down the hallway. He pursued, half-jogging to catch up. He should’ve known better, really. In his previous life, Bakura has been a master thief. Sneaky was a job requirement. 

After a while of searching, he did however find Ryou. He grabbed at his shoulder. There was a guilty look on the pale face and he felt his suspicion rising. “What did you do?” He demanded. 

Ryou darted his gaze away. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I had to. We made a deal.” 

“Ryou,” Joey snapped in warning. 

“It was just a little spell,” he replied. “The dark one needed you all distracted while he got the rest of the curse together. And he said the energy was a perfect catalyst for the magic. I’m sorry.” 

“You made us fuck,” Joey realised, eyes narrowing dangerously. 

“I’m sorry,” he repeated, anxious. “The spell was meant to lower inhibitions and hike up pheromones. I’m sorry. He promised me my family back.” 

Joey dropped his arms and glared at him. “I hope you think it was worth it,” he said coldly. “Breaking everyone’s trust in you, like that.” 

Ryou looked devastated, but Joey only turned away. They had trusted Ryou, not only to be on their side, but he’d sworn to keep the resurrected spirit in line. Joey headed back to the pool, knowing Bakura would go there to gloat and hoping Ryou’s smoke had worn off already. 

He heard the hysterical evil laughter before he came out to the poolside. Bakura was stood atop the waterfall, head tilted back as he boomed his mirth round the entire poolside. The sky above him was choking with thick purple smoke. Dark magic, like the shadows from the shadow realm. Joey got the urge to grab Serenity and run as far as they could. Instinct told him there was no running from it, however. 

Bakura’s laughter began to calm down, and Joey spared a glance for the rest of his audience. They were half-dressed, some conspicuously not looking at each other. Kaiba was standing aloof from the rest of the group, Mokuba standing behind him as if he’d been shoved there. 

“Bakura!” Yami shouted, his voice booming with a tone that commanded attention. Joey could only assume it was a carryover from being king of an ancient civilization. “What wretched evil have you enacted?” 

“A curse,” the villain replied, grinning. 

“We gathered as much,” Joey yelled, glaring. “Don’t be dense you dick!” 

Bakura chuckled. “I’m sending you all somewhere else.” 

“The shadow realm?” Téa gasped, taking a step back. 

“No,” he answered. “Somewhere new.” He crouched down, looming over them. “I’m going to tear up your lives and send you to a new realm. Somewhere I can have power.” He clenched his fist victoriously. The purple cloud seemed to be approaching like a mist storm on fast forward. He smirked and stood, haloed in shadow. “I’d say goodbye to each other,” he warned, “for this is the last time some of you will ever see one another again.” 

He turned a victorious look on Yami and chuckled darkly. “Kiss your aibou, pharaoh. It’ll be the last time you ever get the chance to.” His words echoed as he was swallowed into the dark cloud. 

Someone screamed and then there was frantic panic. 


End file.
